Toothbrush trimming machine



g- 23, 1932- w. J. NEELY TOOTHBRUSI-I TRI'MMING MACHINE Filed NOV. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pl. w w m WWIJO Patented Aug. 23, 1932 Mme-ms mm. a m

WILLIAM NEELY, or rnnnronr, ILLINOIS, Ass renonfiro THE w. T. ,EAWLEIGH coir/manner rnnnron r, ILLInoIs'A CORPORATION-"F ILLINOIS 'roornnnusn "rnnvnvrme inacnnvn Application filed ll'ovember 11, 1931. 1 Serial No, 57 ;,450.

This invention relates-to brush trimming machines, and more particularly to tooth brush trimming machines.

In trimming the bristles of tooth brushes in accordance with well known practices, it is necessarytoefirst give thefbristles a rough or primary cut, and then give thema finishing or final'cut. There are no commercial machines now on the market that are able to perform the necessary trimming operation by a single cut, and it is therefore necessary to place each tooth brush in two different machines, one to produce the rough cut, and the other to produce the finishing cut." This practice necessarily entails an undesirable amount of handling of the brushes by the machine operator, because he must handle each brush four times before it can be properly gtrimmed. That is, he must place it in the first machine, give it the rough cut, and then remove it from that machine; then he must place it in the second lnachine, give'it the finishing cut, and then remove it therefrom.

In some cases, one machine is used to make both cuts on a brush, but the same number of handlings of each brush is necessary; An operatorcarefully adjusts the machine for the rough cut, and then runs a few hundred or more brushes through the machine He go then carefully changesthe adjustment for the finishing out, and runs the samebrushes through the'machine again. Obviously this system is of no advantage over the one in which two machines are used, because in each case the operator must handle each brush no less than four times. I

The primary object of my invention is to provide a brush trimming machine in which both cutting operations can be performed o during a single pass of the brush through the machine, and with a minimum number of handlings by the operator. 1

It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine in which a brush may be given first a rough cut, and then immediately thereafter, and without the necessity' of altering delicate adjustments, the same brush may be given a finishing out in the same machine, without the necessity of inter"- w mediate handlings thereof; u

It is a further object of the invention-to produce a machine in which abrush holding slide issupported in spaced relation to aretary-knife, and to provide means for changing the relation-of this slidewith respect to the :knife during the operation of the ma chine, so that the slide may assume two" defi nite positions to perform the two necessary trimming steps.

I is a further object of the invention t'o provide an independent fine adjustmentbe tween the brush holding slide and therotary knives, inaddition to the aforementioned means for causing said slide to assume two different positions during thev operation of themachinew In the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the invention is shown, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of the complete machine, including the supporting table and foot operatedtreadle. 4 V a, Figure 2 is aplan view of the machine, with the operating handle broken away for the sake of clearness. v

Figure 3 is a vertical sectionalview taken on line of Figure 2. I Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

A supporting table is shown having atop or supportingframe-work 10 and legs-112 A shaft 12 is journalledat-its ends in appr0priatebearings13 mounted on the table 1, and

is connectedto an electric motor or other source of power, notishown. A rotary brush trimming knife 14 of any approved construe-V tion but preferably of the spiral type, is fixed to'the shaft 12 at a point approximately intermediate its length, and substantially midwaybetween the sides of the-table top. This rotary knife cooperates with a conventional stationing blade 15 which is adjustably mounted for longitudinal movement on the support 16 by the adjusting screw 17. "Said support 16 is pivoted to a stationary box secur'eol'to'the table and is verticallyadjustable by a screw 18, to vary the vertical rent tion of thestationary blade15 with the' r0- tary blade 1 This arrangement of the trimming knives 1s well known in-the art and is not itselfa part of my invention. i

A brush holding slide is mounted above the rotary knife by a means which will be described below. This slide is provided with a tooth brush receiving socket 20 into which the brush 21 to be trimmed may be placed, with its bristles 22 extending through an orifice 23 in the bottom of the socket. An oper ating lever 24 is pivoted to the slide 19 and is provided with a foot 25 which is adapted to be pressed down on the back ofthe brush 21 to hold it firmly in the socket'during the trimming operation. The lever is also provided with a hand grip 26 by'which the operator reciprocates the slide to bring the brush over the face of the rotating knife.

The slide is mounted for reciprocation on a slide support 27 made up of side bars 28 and end members 2930. The slide is held in place on the slide support byside pieces 31 having undercut grooves 32 at their inner edges. The slide may be reciprocated on the support against the action of a spring 33 which surrounds a rod 34 secured to the slide and projecting through a block 35 on the end member 29 of the slide support, as will be readily apparent from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. j The slide support is pivotally mounted for swinging movement at one of itsends. This mounting is shown in the drawings as com prising a. hinged connection between a pair of downwardly projecting ears 36 on the rear end member 29 of the slide support, and a vertically adjust-able member 37 mounted at the rear of the table. The two parts comprising the hinged joint are interconnected by a rod 38. Said verticallyadjustable member 37 is preferably provided with a lower cylindrical body portion 39 which is received in a-socket member tOat the rear of the table. A set screw 41 or any other appropriate looking meansis provided for the purpose of securing themember 39 inthe desired adjusted position.

It -.will be apparent toone skilled in theart thataslight adjustment of the member'37 either upwardlyor downwardly in'the Cylinder 40 will result in a fine variation inithe space between the rotary knife 14 and the brush holding slide .19 for the purpose of making delicate adjustments in the length of the bristles which are trimmed .by the machine.

The other end of the slide support of the machine of my invention is connected to a supporting means which is movable between two limits :to swing the slide supporttoward and away from the trimming knife; Means are provided formoving the supporting means to each of. said limits so that said slide support may assume two different trimmingipositions with respect to the trimming knife. The front end 30 of the slide supportiis provided with a pair of downwardly extending ears t2 which are connected, by

means of a pin 43 to a head 44 secured to the upper end of a vertically reciprocable rod 45. This rod and the head thereon constitute the supporting means mentioned above. Said rod is mounted for reciprocating movement in a cylindrical bore in a guide member 16 secured to the front end of the table top 10. Between the upper surface 47 of the guide member 46 and the lower surface of the head 4%,there'is disposed a compression spring 48 which constantly tends to urge the rod 45 and the slide support 19 upwardly. The limit of upward movement of these parts is defined by, the location of a collar 19 fixed to the shaft 45 below the guide member 46. This collar abuts the lower surface of said guide member and prevents the rod from moving upwardly beyond apredetermined point. When the parts are in this upwardly extended position, the machine is ready to perform the initial trimming operation, or the rough cut. A

Means are provided for moving the supporting member 45 for the slide support 19 downwardly to a predetermined position. In the embodiment of themachine shown in my drawings this means includes a substantially horizontal lever 50 connected at one of its ends to adownwardly depending bar 51 secured-tothe rear ofthetable, and connected at its otherend tothe lower end of the rod15 by a pivotal connection 52. This lever is preferably connected to a foot treadle 53 by a link 54. It will thus be seen that when force is applied to the foot treadle 53, the rod 45 will be moved to itslowerlimit of movement, and the slide support will be oscillated about the hinge pin 38 to move the same a substantial distance nearer to the trimming knife 14. The downward movement of the slide support 27 and the supporting means therefore is limited by an adjustable abutmen't 55 screwed into the front of the table below an extension of the headklt. Consequently, if it is desired to vary the point to whichthe slide support may be moved toward the knife by the treadle 53, this can readily be accomplished by screwing the abutment bolt 55 into or out of the table the desired amount. hen the parts are in this downwardly depressed position, the machine is ready to perform the second trimming operation, or the finishing cut.

In addition to the previously described means for defining the limits of movement of the movable support 15 for the slide support, which means in turn define the two trimming positionsof the machine, the vertically adjustable mounting member 37 to which the other end of the slide support is hinged constitutes another means to change said two trimming positions. F or instance, if the member 37 :is raiseda substantial amount, the slide support will be correspondingly raised with respect to the trimming knife,

and, consequently, both of the trimming positions of the machine will-be changed so that a 1 brush having longer bristles will be produced. The advantages ofa delicately ad-' justable mountingfor one end of "the slide support 1!]. combination wlth a; reciprocable support for the other end thereof will be aply over the inclined surface of the slide sup port while the slide support and its supporting parts are substantially in the'position of Fig. 3, and the brush is given a rough out. He then permits the spring 83 to return the slide to its initial position. He then depresses the foot treadle 53 which in turn moves the supporting meansfo'r the slide support and the slide support downwardly to their lower limit of movement. When in this position,

the slide 19 and the slide support willbe in r the correct position to give the brush its finishing cut. V Vhile maintaining the foot treadle in its depressed position, the operator again reciprocates the slide 19 upwardly so as to bring the brush over the face of the knife 14 for the final trimming operation. The slide is then returned by the spring 33 to its original position, the foot treadle is released, and the slide support is automatical- 1y returned to its initialtrimming position by the spring 48. The parts are then in position to receive another brush to be trimmed.

Because the above described operations are all very simple, an operator is able to trim an extremely large number of brushes in agiven time. It will be seen that it is necessary to handle each brush only twice during the complete'trimming operation. 7 The brush is put in the machine then given two cuts by simply reciprocating the slide 19 twiceand depressing the foot treadle 53 once. The completely trimmed brush is then removed. As stated above it has always been necessary with machines of the prior art to handle each brush at least four times before it could be trimmed completely.

It will be apparent when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings that I have provided a machine which accomplishes the statedobjects of the invention. Certain changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from my invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim g i 7 l. A brush trimming machine comprising a rotary knife, a brush holding slide, and a slide supportpivotally mounted atone end for swinging movement withrespect to said from this specification I knife, asupporting'means for the other end of said slide support, said means being movable to swing said slide support toward and away from sa d kn1fe,res1l1ent means urging said supporting means to one, limit of its movement, and other means operable to move said supporting means to its other limit of movement, whereby said slide support may assume two different trimming positions.

. 2. A brush trimming machine comprising a rotary knife, a brush holding slide, and

slide support pivotally mounted at one end for swinging movement with respect to saidknife, a supporting means for the other end of saidslide support, said means being mov-' able to swing saidslide'support toward and away from said knife, means adapted to cause said supporting means to move to one limit ofjits movement, and a lever operatively associated with said means to move it to its other limit of movement, whereby said slide. support may assume two different trimming positions.

'3. A brush trimming machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotary knife on said frame, a brush holding slide, and a slide support pivotally mounted at one end to said' frame for swinging movement with respect to said knife, a supporting means for the other end of said slide support, said means being movable toswing said slide support toward and away from said knife, resilient means urging said supporting means to one limit of its movement,'and a lever operatively associatedwith said means to move it to its other limit of movement, whereby said slide support may assume two different trimming positions. 1

LA brush trimming machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotary knife on said.

frame, a brush holding slide, and a slide support p votally mounted atone end to said frame for swmgmg movement with respect to saidknife, a supporting means for the other end of said, slide support, said means being movable to swing said slide support toward and away from said knife, means adapted to cause said supporting means to move to one limit of its movement, and a footoperated v adjustable to vary the relation ofsaid pivoted end of said slide support to said knife, a sup porting means for the other end of said slide support, said means being movable between two limits to swing said slide support about said pivot toward and away from said knife,

means adapted to cause said supporting means to move to one limit of its movement, and other means to move it to its other limit of movement, whereby said slide support may be caused to assume two different trimming positions with respect to said knife, said adjustable pivotal mounting constituting means to change said two different trimming positions.

6. A brush trimming machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotary knife on said frame, a brush holding slide and a slide support pivotally mounted at one end to said frame for swinging movement with respect to said knife, a supporting means for the and other means operable on said supporting means to move said slide support to a second trimming position, said first mentioned means operating on said supporting means to return said slide support to said initial trimming position.

7. A brush trimming machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotary knife on said frame, a brush holding slide and a slide sup port pivotally mounted at one end to said frame for swinging movement with respect to said knife, a supporting means for the other end of said slide support, said means being movable to swing said slide support toward or away from said knife to two trimming positions, resilient means operating on said supporting means to cause said slide support to assume an initial trimming position, and other means operable on said supporting means to cause said slide support to assume a second trimming position, said resilient means operating on sald supporting means to return said slide support to said initial trimming position.

8. A brush trimming machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotary knifeon said frame, a brush holding slide and a slide support pivotally mounted at one end to said frame for swinging movement with respect to said knife, a supporting means for the other end of said slide support, said means being movable to swing said slide support toward or away from said knife to two trimming positions, resilient means operating on said supporting means to cause said slide support to assume an initial trimming position, and'a lever operatively connected to said supporting means and being adapted upon the application of force thereto to move said slide support against the action of said resilient means to a second trimming position, said resilient means being adapted to return said slide support to said initial trimming position when said force is removed from said lever. V

9. A brush trimming machine comprising a supporting frame a rotary knife on said frame, a brush holding slide, and a slide support pivotally mounted at one end to said frame for swinging movement with respect to said knife, a supporting member for the other end of said slide support, said member comprising a rod reciprocablebetween two limits to swing said slide support toward or away from said knife, a compression spring surrounding said rod and connected therewith to urge said rod to one of its limits of movement, a lever operatively connected with said rod and being adapted upon the application of force thereto to move said rod against me action ofsaid compression spring to; its other limit of movement, whereby said slide support may assume two different trimming positions defined by said two limits of movement of said rod.

10. A brush triming machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotary knife on said frame, a brush holding slide, and a slide sup port pivotally mounted at one end to said frame for swinging movement with respect to said knife, a supporting member for the other end of said slide support, said member comprisinga rod reciprocabl'e between two limits to swing said slide support toward or away from said. knife, one of said limits being defined by an adjustable abutment, a compression spring surrounding said rod and connected therewith to urge said rod to one of its limits of movement, a lever operatively connected with said rod and being adaptedupon the application of force thereto to move said rod against the action of said compression spring to its other limit of movement, whereby said slide support may assume two different trimming positions defined by said two limits of movement of said rod, one of said positions being'variable in accordance with the positioniof said adjustable abutment.

11-. A brush trimming machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotary knife on saidframe,abrush holdling slide, and a slide support, said slide support being pivotally mounted at one end to a vertically adjustable member associated with said frame for swinging movement with respect to said knife, said vertically adjustable member beingmovable to provide a line variation in the space between said slide support and said knife 3 and a supporting means for the other end of said slide support, said means being movable bet-ween two limits of movement to swing said slide support toward and away from said knife, and means to move-said supporting means to each of said limits of movement, whereby said slide support may assume two different trimming positions corresponding to said two limits of movement.

12. A brush trimming machine comprising a table, a rotary knife mounted on said table, a brush holding slide, and a slide support pivotally mounted at one end on said table for swinging movement with respect to said knife, a supporting means for the other end of said slide support, said means being vertically reciprocable between upper and lower limits to swing said slide support toward or away from said knife to two trimming positions corresponding respectively to said upper and lower limits, resilient means constantly urging said supporting means to said upper limit of movement, a foot treadle operatively connected to said supporting means to move the same to its lower limit of movement, said operative connections comprising a cross lever pivoted at one of its ends to said table and also attached to said reciprocable slide support, and a link between said foot treadle and said cross lever, whereby motion may be transmitted from said treadle through said link and said cross lever to said reciprocable support to move the latter to its lower limit of movement.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM J. NEELY. 

